Sewing aid



Nov. 3, 1964 J. RUBENSTEIN 3,154,861

SEWING AID Filed June 20, 1962 l ll'llll l lllllll llllll lllllllll llllll I'IIIIIIIIIIIIIII Invenior. Julia Rubenszezu', 3

United States Patent 3,154,861 SEWING All) Julia Rubenstein, 33 Washington Square W., New York 11, N.Y. Filed June 20, 1962, Ser. No. 203,832 2 Claims. (Cl. 33-190) This invention relates generally to tailoring gauges and sewing aids and more specifically to a gauge which assists in placing buttons and buttonholes on garments and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a right angle ruled tool.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of engaging a button or its attaching thread for spacing buttons in sewing.

A still further object of the invention is to provide cutting slots for use in co-operation with an edge against material to limit the length of cut to one-half a required buttonhole length.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrow tip configuration for cooperative action with a scissors bevel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide spacer tongues for spacing buttons from fabric during sewing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gauge for sewing around corners and perforations for holding the gauge to a garment or the like.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a tailors gauge, or sewing aid, comprising a plate-like base portion generally rcctwgular in configuration, on three sides, having as one ruled edge a four-inch ruler. A twoinch ruler is formed along the engaging edge 12 in right angle relationship to the ruled edge 10.

A series of angular notches 14- are formed along the engaging edge 12 with their apexes directed at right angles to the engaging edge 12.

A side edge 16 is formed in right angle relationship to the engaging edge 12 and in spaced parallel relationship to the ruled edge 10. A series of cutting notches 18 are formed spaced from each other, of progressingly increased length as they reach a greater distance from the engaging edge 12, along the side edge 16. Each of the notches 18 has an open arrow head configuration formed at the end farthest from the side edge 16 for purposes to be described hereinafter.

A pair of U-shaped notches 29 are formed in the side edge 16 a predetermined distance from the last and longest cutting notch 18. The two U-shaped notches are spaced from each other by a spacer tongue 22. The remaining portion of the side edge 16 forms a part of a. semi-circular gauging corner 24. The greater portion of the semi-circular gauging corner 24 is formed on the edge of the sewing aid directly opposite to the engaging edge 12, and one side of the semi-circular gauging corner 24 merges into the first of a pair of large U-shaped notches 26. The large U-shaped notches 26 have a configuration similar to the first pair of U-shaped notches 20 and have a second spacer tongue 28 formed in a manner similar to the spacer tongue 22. The remaining portion of the edge on which the large U-shaped notches 26 are placed consists in the final inch of the ruled edge 10 which has a bevel 30 forming an acute angle with the ruled edge 10.

The notches 14 are utilized in cooperation with the ruled edge 10 and the side edge 16. For example, let us assume that we desire to place a second button on a jacket. We would place a notch 14 to receive the thread holding the last button in the line on the jacket. This notch would receive the thread holding the button to the jacket, and we would then use the measurements along the ruled edge 10 to determine the point at which we desire to place the second button. We can also utilize the measurements along the side edge 16 to determine the distance in from the side of the garment from which we desire to place the second button. A series of small apertures (not shown) can be utilized along the end of the one-quarter inch markings set out along the ruled edge 10 to hold the gauge to the garment.

When it is desired to form a buttonhole in a garment, the cutting notches 18 are utilized. The edge of the garment is doubled back on itself so that the overlapping edge would have a width equal to the length of the cutting notch to the base 32 of the arrowhead 19. The butto-nhole size would be determined by the size of the button and the radius of the button would equal the distance from the side edge 16 to the base 32 of the arrowhead 19. Of course, in practice it would probably be better to have the buttonhole slightly larger in length than the diameter of the button, and naturally, the determination of which slot to use would depend on that factor also. Once the proper notch has been decided upon, it is then simply a matter of placing the side edge 16 on the fold and then cutting down through the notch to the point of the base 32 thus creating in one operation the required buttonhole size. The buttonhole may be then finished oil? in whatever manner has been determined by the operator.

Thus it can be seen that the engaging edge 12 is utilized cooperatively with the cutting slot 18. The distance between the edge 12 and the nearest side of edge slot 18 to the edge 12 is equal to the full length of the buttonhole which we are using. Therefore, this distance can also be utilized to measure the diameter of the button in relation to the size of the butonhole.

The arrowhead 19 allows the scissors bevel to pass by the point of the base 32 of the arrowhead 19 thus assuring that the proper length of buttonhole will be achieved. If the slot 18 were terminated by a straight edge on the plwe of the base 32, then the cut would have to be somewhat shorter than the required length. The extension of the slot 18 would avoid this problem, but by utilizing the arrowhead configuration, it was discovered that the apex of the arrowhead and its two sides functioned to act as a guide for the scissors bevel thereby assuring a straight cut. Note that the apex of the arrowhead lies on a point which is midway of the axis of the slot 18.

The semi-circular gauging corner 24 is utilized to form arcuate sewed corners on, for example, a garment (not shown). This is accomplished by placing the gauge on the material and then bringing the material snugly (by gathering it) around the gauging corner. At this point, the gathered material is sewed together thereby forming the required arcuate configuration.

The U-shalped notches 2tl20 and spacer tongue 22 are utilized in sewing a button on a garment or other sewable material. This is accomplished in the following manner: after determining the position of the button, the tongue 22 is laid on the position so that the mid-point of the position res-ts on the mid-line of the tongue. A button is then placed on the tongue and the sewing procedure is commenced. The basic idea is to sew through the U-shaped notches and over the combination of the tongue and button. This automatically places the button the proper distance away from the material to allow its proper operation with a buttonhole. The reason for the two types of U-shaped notches is to provide for a wide range of button diameters.

The bevel 3i) is used in co-operation with the ruled edge 1! to form sharply angled edges in the same manner as the gauge corner is utilized as explained heretofore.

While there has been illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that re invention is best defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sewing aid comprising a single fiat plate-like structure including a ruled edge and a side edge in spaced parallel relationship to said ruled edge, said side edge having a series of cutting notches formed therein, extending toward said ruled edge, each of said notches having a terminal end defining an arrow head, said arrow head having a base portion extending beyond the area defined by the remaining portion of said notch, and said notches progressively increasing in length.

2. A sewing aid as set forth in claim 1 wherein said side edge and said ruled edge are in integral right angle relationship with a ruled engaging edge having spaced notches formed therein.

References liter in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A SEWING AID COMPRISING A SINGLE FLAT PLATE-LIKE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A RULED EDGE AND A SIDE EDGE IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO SAID RULED EDGE, SAID SIDE EDGE HAVING A SERIES OF CUTTING NOTCHES FORMED THEREIN, EXTENDING TOWARD SAID RULED EDGE, EACH OF SAID NOTCHES HAVING A TERMINAL END DEFINING AN ARROW HEAD, SAID ARROW HEAD HAVING A BASE PORTION EXTENDING BEYOND THE AREA DEFINED BY THE REMAINING PORTION OF SAID NOTCH, AND SAID NOTCHES PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING IN LENGTH. 